Annie Sloan's GREAT AMERICAN TOUR and Robyn Story's UPDATE

OH MY GOSH

Can I tell you what an amazing time we had in Atlanta?!

As you walked into the Conference Center Annie's Pictures and Fabrics greeted you!

Words alone can never define who Annie is.  

She's BRILLIANT

Charming

Witty

Incredibly Talented

and just an INSPIRATION for us all.

Not only for her talent as an artist but for what she represents as a woman.

Successful

Driven 

Caring

We started off at 6:30 on Wednesday morning. 

  Lori and I decided at the last minute to load up the car and drive!!
 I know....I need to bring pretty things...
to set a stage....

to tell a story....

Can I tell you what a GREAT decision that was.  We were loaded to the gills with all things ANNIE!  

We brought our "Antoinette", our mannequin inspired by Annie Sloan Colors and she brought

joy 

 a sense of style

and a 

personality to the whole environment!

Welcome to our Workshop/Breakout Room.  This is Antoinette, David - Annie's Husband and Me!

I also loaded up on sample pieces from the store and we even made a special little table just for Annie.

Here are a few pictures of our Workshop/Breakout room

This is our room before we worked out little magic.

After we decorated and set it up.

Our "place settings"

One of our vignettes

I have made it a personal mission to own all of Annie's Books.  She's a wonderful speaker and an amazing writer as well.

 On Thursday, Annie's BIG day, we were all set up and people started rolling in!

I am SOOO proud of my wonderful customers.  SO many familiar faces were coming through our doors.

Thanks to ALL of YOU that shared this wonderful event with us!  Don't forget, you get a FREE workshop in our store for coming to Atlanta and supporting Annie.  Those dates are coming....

Carol (who won the national giveaway of 29 pots of paint & her daughter Danielle were there to learn from Annie

Julie from Venice was glued to all that Annie had to say!

Michele and Ken Hiley of Stiltskin Studios were there to share in ALL of the festivities!

Even Pierre (Ken's parakeet) made the trip and had to room with Lori!

Michele Hiley - Stiltskin Studios and Anne Smith - Gyspyfleur

 Our workshop was just fabulous.  LOTS of familiar faces and some GREAT new friends.  We placed some drop cloths on the floor and had each of our workshop participants dip their hands in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and leave their hand prints as well as their autograph on this cloth.

Even ANNIE GOT IN ON THE FUN!

Annie leaving her mark on our cloth!

Who needs Hollywood Boulevard!!!!

Okay, enough of my pictures.  What did we learn from Annie?!  Too much to blog about but I will tell you she has a BRAND NEW BOOK coming out in about a year.  It's a recipe book.  A How to Book on mixing colors.  Her color theory was amazing to listen to.  Her stories about the history of colors was so fun and educational.  I'll never look at Antoinette again and not remember her story.  Same for so many of her colors.  I loved that she shared those stories with everyone. 

A page out of her book that she uses in her store in Oxford.  Love the color combinations with her fabric. 

 Oh, and NEW PAINT BRUSHES FROM ANNIE are on their way!!  I just got the info that we HOPE to have them by the end of the month.  Fingers and toes crossed.

There will be three different paint brush sizes.  We had an opportunity to use them in Atlanta and they're FABULOUS!

(Speaking of brushes....don't forget our Two For One Mini Wax brushes)

Can you tell that I just LOVE LOVE LOVE all things Annie.  Finally, I got to share all of this with one of my staff members, Lori.  She's as fanatical about this paint as I am.  Loves every minute that she gets to spend working with it.  Seeing her meet Annie was such a treat for me.  It was a magical time.   If you were there, you understand.  If you weren't, I can not stress enough - if you EVER get this opportunity - 

TAKE IT.  It was worth every penny and then some.

Okay, one more picture.  Lori and I drove up my driveway, Steve opened the door and there's my Louie waiting for his momma with a new, prized possession.  Seriously, is he not the cutest!!??